Olivier Giroud has scored five goals in six Europa League appearances this season

Chelsea claimed a slim victory over Malmo within the Europa League after they had been greeted with a rousing atmosphere in Sweden for the main leg of their closing 32 tie.

Ross Barkley poked in a curling substandard from Pedro to ranking within the main half of.

Olivier Giroud flicked within the second after Willian slash the ball abet having overwhelmed his opponent within the sphere.

Malmo ensured it became once a nervy ending for Chelsea as Anders Christiansen slotted home within the eightieth minute.

Victory eases the rigidity a minute bit on manager Maurizio Sarri who acknowledged his “job became once at chance” after Chelsea had been thrashed 6-0 by Manchester Metropolis within the Premier League on Sunday.

Chelsea live unbeaten within the Europa League this season sooner than the second leg at Stamford Bridge on 21 February.

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Relief for below-rigidity Sarri

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri became once made to sweat as his facet had been put below a minute bit little bit of rigidity within the closing 10 minutes

Sarri regarded depressed on the sidelines as he watched Chelsea have confidence their worst defeat in 28 years at Etihad Stadium.

It became once their fourth loss in 10 video games and supposed they dropped all the manner down to sixth command within the Premier League – 15 sides on the abet of leaders Manchester Metropolis.

Victory became once fundamental in opposition to a Malmo facet who delight in certified for the knockout stages of the Europa League for the main time.

There had been indicators of anxiety from Chelsea firstly of the match, Malmo winning two corners within the main minute and having a shot blocked by Jorginho within the sphere.

However the Blues turned extra chuffed because the sport went on and when Giroud coolly doubled Chelsea’s consequence in ranking his fifth plot within the competition this season, Sarri might per chance likely be forgiven for breathing a converse of relief.

Chelsea made no longer easy work of it within the prime, though. Malmo threatened to equalise in stoppage time but as Sarri had talked about sooner than kick-off, his facet “need targets within the brief timeframe” and victory of any type became once honest that.

The wounded animal responds

Chelsea went into this tie as resounding favourites – Malmo coach Uwe Rosler acknowledged the “odds are 80 million turnover in opposition to 450 million turnover” sooner than the match.

Rosler also anticipated a response from Chelsea after their mauling by his frail club Manchester Metropolis, saying: “When a grizzly have confidence is wounded he’s a in fact, very unhealthy animal.”

Sarri’s facet had been surely wounded but they had been made to battle for their victory after Christiansen’s slack plot lifted the adversarial atmosphere in Sweden for the closing 10 minutes of the match.

David Luiz had earlier deflected away midfielder Arnor Ingvi Traustason’s half of-volley and Barkley became once pressured to originate two headed clearances to disclaim Soren Rieks within the main half of.

The hosts – who had been encouraged by their fans to press and anxiousness the Chelsea abet four – perceived to tire within the second half of which became once no longer honest given this became once their first competitive fixture since December.

But they regained a little bit of spark on the prime after Chelsea had overlooked alternatives to lengthen their lead. Barkley had a shut-fluctuate effort tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Johan Dahlin sooner than Pedro’s curling effort became once deflected narrowly wide.

Man of the match – Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)

Excellent in his hyperlink-up play and on the genuine song again within the Europa League, Giroud shone for Chelsea

‘We had been up to lag’ – Sarri

Maurizio Sarri has gained greater than half of of his fits as Chelsea manager but his facet delight in struggled within the Premier League no longer too long ago

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri told BT Sport: “I mediate we performed a resplendent match again a team who’re very bodily. We had been fearful a bit on plight-items. We had been up to lag of the match and we deserved to spend with extra goals.

“I am chuffed because we performed with self assurance and it wasn’t in fact very easy after the closing match. We conceded on a mistake and that will per chance happen however the stage of attention became once in fact very resplendent for 90 minutes so I am very chuffed.

“But everybody knows we delight in to originate the qualification within the following match. I mediate I am consistently confident but in most cases we had the sinful manner with fits so we must examine out in every match.”

A first in six years – the excellent of the stats

Malmo fans gathered originate air the stadium with flares sooner than the match kicked off in Sweden

Chelsea delight in gained the main leg of a European knockout tie for the main time since April 2013 in opposition to Basel within the Europa League (2-1). They had been winless in six such fits earlier than this victory (D3, L3).

Malmo were overwhelmed at home in Europe for the main time since November 2015 in opposition to Paris St-Germain (5-0), ending a flee of eight video games with out defeat in front of their delight in fans (W2, D6).

Chelsea delight in saved only 1 dapper sheet of their previous 11 away video games in all competitions – they had saved seven dapper sheets within the 11 video games earlier than this flee.

Malmo delight in lost five of their six conferences with English sides (W1), though Chelsea are the main such team to beat them in Sweden since Liverpool in September 1967.

Barkley scored Chelsea’s first away plot in all competitions in 2019 – they haven’t needed to wait till February to ranking their first away plot of the 365 days since 1997.

Giroud is the main Chelsea participant to ranking in four successive video games in European competition since Victor Moses in Might per chance likely 2013.

What’s subsequent?

Chelsea host Manchester United within the the FA Cup fifth spherical on Monday (19:30 GMT kick-off), three days sooner than the return leg in opposition to Malmo at Stamford Bridge (20:00).